Objective: To observe expression of genes related to inflammatory response in myocardium of rats after burn injury.
Methods: After 40 percent total body surface area (TBSA) of rat was burned gene expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cytoplastic phospholipids A(2) (cPLA(2)) in myocardium was detected with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) at different time after burn. Meanwhile, changes of contractile and diastolic ability of left ventricle were determined with physiological recorder.
Results: TNF-alpha and cPLA(2) mRNAs were increased dramatically at 1 hour after burn and maintained at high level up to 24 hours later (P<0.01), IL-1beta gene expression was up-regulated at 3 hours after burn (P<0.01) and declined to normal level 12 hours later, herein any significant increase of iNOS mRNA in myocardium in rats was not found except decrease in iNOS mRNA could be detected at 1 hour after burn. As expected, severe impairment of myocardium was occurred at 3 hours after burn, represented by declining in both contractile and diasotolic ability of lefe ventrical.
Conclusion: Over expression of TNF-alpha, cPLA(2) and IL-1beta mRNA in myocardium in rats may be partial cause of local myocardial uncontrolled inflammatory response and then partially contributed to cardiac impairment after burn.